TITLE:
Dynamic Monitoring and Prognostic Value of Circulating Tumor Cells in Neoadjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer: Research Progress
AUTHORS:
Keliang Ren, Dengfeng Chen
KEYWORDS:
Circulating Tumor Cells, Breast Cancer, Neoadjuvant Therapy, Liquid Biopsy, Treatment Response Monitoring, Prognosis
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.14 No.5,
May
12,
2026
ABSTRACT: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which detach from primary or metastatic lesions and enter the peripheral blood, serve as crucial biomarkers in liquid biopsy for breast cancer. In the context of neoadjuvant therapy, the dynamic changes of CTCs offer a real-time and minimally invasive window to evaluate treatment response, predict pathological complete response, and forecast long-term prognosis. Despite advances in detection technologies and growing evidence supporting their clinical utility, challenges remain in standardizing methodologies, understanding molecular heterogeneity, and integrating CTC analysis into routine clinical practice. This review systematically summarizes current detection techniques for CTCs, baseline and dynamic characteristics during neoadjuvant treatment, molecular subtyping and heterogeneity, as well as their predictive and prognostic significance. Furthermore, it discusses existing limitations and future research directions aimed at optimizing neoadjuvant therapeutic strategies in breast cancer. By providing a comprehensive overview, this article aims to enhance the understanding of CTCs’ role in personalized treatment and improve patient outcomes.